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Jan
Mountain climber
Okinawa, Japan
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Mar 30, 2010 - 08:49pm PT
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It obviously matters to Paola how John died, and therefore to the rest of us. As someone who lost a former husband to climbing, I know I was not satisfied until I had explored every aspect of what went wrong - which I have also written about on ST.
Experts in post traumatic stress emphasize that the worst thing one can do is bottle up feelings and not deal with them. Reliving the events over and over until one has dealt with each detail and how one feels about it, with compassion for the deceased person and oneself, is a large part of the healing process.
Our society is very poor at facing death and practitioners of our sport prefer the macho glory accounts, but part of being a real human being, is to consider what happens when things go wrong. There is a reason that there are so many religiously themed threads on this forum.
I commend Paola for having the courage to post the details here knowing that some people are probably not as strong as she is or as willing to contemplate the consequences of of theirs and other climber's actions.
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Melissa
Gym climber
berkeley, ca
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Mar 30, 2010 - 08:58pm PT
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Paola and Jan, thanks for all that you've chosen to share with us.
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Mar 30, 2010 - 09:11pm PT
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You're a very strong woman Paola, thank you for this.
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klk
Trad climber
cali
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Mar 30, 2010 - 09:18pm PT
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yes, again, thanks paola.
much as we'd all like to know, definitively, what happened, we just won't.
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Jobee
Social climber
The Portal
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Mar 30, 2010 - 09:32pm PT
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Paola,
You are strong, brave, and remarkable. It gladdens my heart to know that you are the person John held fast to; he was a lucky man, and I know that he was loved. For me this matters much.
This quote helps me when life appears to be senseless.
Everything is determined, the beginning as well as the end, by forces over which we have no control.
It is determined for the insect as well for the star. Human beings, vegetables, or cosmic dust, we all dance to a mysterious tune, intoned in the distance by an invisible piper. -Albert Einstein.
With much gratitude, and respect.
Jo Whitford
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Jan
Mountain climber
Okinawa, Japan
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Mar 30, 2010 - 09:58pm PT
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Please note that it was John's father who asked Paola to do this.
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JuanDeFuca
Big Wall climber
Peenemunde
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Mar 30, 2010 - 10:13pm PT
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Life is so short.
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Watusi
Social climber
Newport, OR
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Mar 30, 2010 - 10:33pm PT
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God bless you, RIP John.
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Ihateplastic
Trad climber
It ain't El Cap, Oregon
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Mar 30, 2010 - 10:53pm PT
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I agree with Coz... let's try and refocus this on the courage of Paola and keep speculation off these pages. I am as guilty as any in this regard...
Perhaps we can all use this loss to re-examine our own lives and goals.
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ninjah
Big Wall climber
a van down by the river
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Mar 30, 2010 - 11:16pm PT
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sounds like he most likely was hit in the head first and thats what most likely would have killed him! Not the fall! That wall is not very big. But there sure is alot of lose looking rock above. It just seems to add up to a horrible rock fall that caused head trauma and then a nasty fall with broken wrist and ankles. AND NO ORGAN INJURYS. I've seen him climb sence his car accident.. he still had it!! dude does not fall!!!!!!!!!
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Daphne
Trad climber
Mill Valley, CA
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Mar 30, 2010 - 11:44pm PT
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Jan and the Chief have deep wisdom here for us.
edit: and Lynnie does too.
I honor you, Paola, for your courage in writing this.
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chez
Social climber
chicago ill
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Mar 30, 2010 - 11:51pm PT
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JB had a great LIFE!
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Lynne Leichtfuss
Sport climber
Will know soon
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Mar 31, 2010 - 01:27am PT
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Yes, chez, and JB gave to life and people and had so many great people in his life. We all do only have a number of days. None of us know that number.
Dan died unexpectedly, John died unexpectedly.....the message to this gal is live each day, one day at a time. Live each moment loving the people around you. Help those in need, follow your dreams. I have reviewed my life since Dan died. What you have is more than enough to share with others. Give, Love, Live....each day, a step at a time with Peace, Patience and Perseverance.
I thought that after experiencing the death of one I loved I would eventually be me again, be ok, go on with life. Well I am going on and I will be ok......but I will never be "me" again. Not the old me. Life is never the same after someone you love dies. It's not like a sickness you can recover from and be better again. It's life changing. And I know the ones we loved want us to become more than we ever thought we could be in our days ahead. We cherish them, they are rooting for us. Peace, Lynne
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ß Î Ø T Ç H
climber
. . . not !
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Mar 31, 2010 - 03:45am PT
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"Pick Pocket" (The Chief referring to one of Bachar's Gorge routes) I never did it , but it looks super aesthetic . I like what Werner said up-thread too .
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pa
climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 31, 2010 - 08:52am PT
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I am grateful for the understanding in everybody's kind words.
If further clarification is needed, feel free to e-mail me.
Peace.
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Jello
Social climber
No Ut
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Mar 31, 2010 - 09:06am PT
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Well, Paola, you were obviously a great match for John's mental strength and honesty. How anyone could read the facts of the accident as you've presented them and not conclude that to a high degree of certainty that John was first hit in the head by a falling stone, and only after that fell to the ground, is beyond me. The rope - or no rope in this case - would have had no bearing on the outcome. John's death should probably be attributed to stonefall rather than a free-soloing fall.
Thank you again for your grace and strength.
-Jeff
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philo
Trad climber
Somewhere halfway over the rainbow
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Mar 31, 2010 - 09:15am PT
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Paola, I also want to thank you for your forthrightness in this painful matter, and the grace and dignity you have brought this closure. I so hope John's loved ones find peace and comfort for their futures. RIP JB.
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couchmaster
climber
pdx
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Mar 31, 2010 - 10:51am PT
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God bless you too Lynnie. Wise, wise words. Thank you. Cherish those you love today, tomorrow may not come.
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zBrown
Ice climber
Chula Vista, CA
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Feb 23, 2012 - 07:46pm PT
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Just read this thread. I don't see anything that rules out John Bachar having had a stroke. Have to agree with wBraun.
One of the greatest rock climbers and free soloist in the world falls and it doesn't matter how it happened?
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Gnome Ofthe Diabase
climber
Out Of Bed
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Apr 26, 2015 - 05:33pm PT
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Tobia,I have bumped this to satisfy our joint curiosity how is it that I did not and you did not see this thread then it comes up as the longest stayed /visited and left open an average? Of six minutes? That is how I see it by what that CMac post & chart say.
EDIT: the answer was the google search engine, huh?
Anyway what a man and an inspiring climber with his own ideas and direction
As the next solo artists performing have made clear,
they have no death wish. . .
It is a life wish,
to experience life at it's finest,
so pure
a puff of dust
the rock,
rubber
and a thought
I will climb up!
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